Advice + Tips

If you don’t know who Mrs. Hinch is, then here’s a brief intro. Sophie Hinchliffe is the cleaning extraordinaire who’s instagram account @mrshinchhome has taken the world by storm and is continuing to rapidly grow towards two million followers. A combination of her warm Essex wit, searing honesty about how her “Hinching” helps manage her anxiety and brilliantly simple cleaning tips have led to an appearance on This Morning and to a publishing deal - she’s currently putting the finishing touches on her first book. But she’s also working on an even bigger project. Mrs. Hinch is pregnant with her first baby (human one, she already has a gorgeous fur baby called Henry too!). A little boy. Now if you don’t follow her or haven’t ever heard of her it doesn’t really matter. This letter is addressed to her but it is really for to all Mum’s-to-be. So here goes…

Dear Mrs Hinch,

I hope you don’t mind me writing so openly to you. I doubt very much you’ll actually see this. It’s just, you see I’m a Mum and a devoted member of the Hinch army and I felt compelled to say this. I very much hope you’ll understand why.

When you announced over Christmas that you were expecting a wee babba (human one, Henry is obviously your fur one!) I was delighted for you. Although we’ve never met, I, along with thousands of others, feel I know you rather well. Your voice is familiar, and often in my home, like that of a good mate. So when you posted up the photo of you sharing the scan photo I did what I always do when I hear good news like that, and welled up with joy.

But after the instant glee subsided another thought popped into my head, and it was this…‘Well, I wonder how this will work out.’ You see, I am a Mummy to two little people. And try as I might to keep my home looking beautiful, I spend 95% of my time time feeling like I am trying to put out flames with petrol. To be quite honest Soph, there’s shit everywhere, (by shit, I mean stuff, not actual shit, although there have been times…).

And I couldn’t help thinking…does she know? Does she realise what a tiny human does to mess up your house? And your life for that matter? Amazing, incredible, wonderful? Yes…but messy. How is this all going to unfold?

But then today as I sat ‘zo-flora-ing’ my skirting boards I thought, well, she doesn’t need to know that. We all know babies change everything. Every Tom, Dick and Harriet will tell you this as you walk around cradling your precious bump but until you experience motherhood nothing and no-one can really prepare you for how it changes you. You as a person. How it makes you question every tiny thing you thought you already knew about yourself. Forces you to grow and change in ways you never expected to. Cuts you down to the smallest version of yourself and then sends you soaring to the biggest, all in a matter of moments. But you don’t need to know this. You’ll experience it all for yourself, in your own way, and it’ll be incredible.

So what I REALLY think you should know Mummy-to-be of a baby boy, Instagram famous lover of Cliff, Dave and Kermit is THIS…

The followers can wait.

We can and will wait. If you don’t “Hinch” for months or a year it doesn’t matter. If you just Hinch in the peace of your own home when you get five minutes and don’t share it with the nearly 2 million of us, please don’t worry. Don’t feel your owe it to us to keep it up. The only person you owe anything to is that baby boy and your own little family. The army can wait.

Having a baby is tough enough. Feeling the pressure of millions of people whilst you try to recover from giving birth to that human and learn how to look after it will be tougher. You often apologise for not Hinching because you’re away for the weekend or out with friends. But please don’t apologise on behalf of your baby boy and you. We will wait. And those that don’t…ah well, you didn’t want them selfish buggers following you anyway! 😉

People will comment, and try to tell you you’re doing it wrong. Parenting wrong. Feeding them wrong. Putting them down to sleep wrong. Carrying them wrong. They just will. They can’t bloody help themselves. But ignore them all. Do it your way, the Hinch way. Because Mummy knows best.

I hope that makes sense. I didn’t want this to be some preachy ‘you’re gonna be a mum and this is how it’ll be’ letter. People might tell you that you won’t have time to hinch or won’t want to. And maybe you won’t? But maybe you still will. Maybe the baby will sleep well or you’ll find a way to manage it all with him strapped to you constantly. Maybe it’s the Hinching that’ll get you through those tough few first weeks? Who knows! But I’ll tell you this. When my baby boy was born I felt completely and utterly overwhelmed (like MANY Mums) and I couldn’t even summon the energy to brush my teeth, let alone the loo. And we all survived. He’s now happily at school and I’m at home hinching. It all worked out rather well and I’m certain it will for you too.

I spent this morning ‘Hinching’ my hallway. It’s been a mess for more months than I care to admit. As always I had watched your stories this morning and had a little giggle. You never fail to raise a smile with your daft and genius antics. Your support for people with anxiety and other mental health issues is hugely admirable. I think you and Jamie are going to make wonderful parents. I just wanted you to know. The army can wait. I really do wish your ALL THE BEST.

Much love

Five Minute Mum

P.s. When the baby turns one, I have lots of ideas of ways to keep him entertained so you can Hinch on…! 😉